One Pump Systems works ok when the kite is new, then if you have a problem on the bladders, struts, leaking valves or leading edge, is more complicated to repair them. Especially the Octopus System from Naish.

They should do it as in the beginning of kitesurfing, the struts separated from the leading edge. Is not a big deal to pump one strut by one. Keep the kites simple!!

Why they still do it like that? marketing campains? Any other reason apart from pumping it 'faster'?

I think it varies brand to brand. I used to get soooo annoyed by 1-pump...Ive had trouble with Best and Slingshot, but I think recently most brands have fixed the issues and there isnt as much trouble.

It was usually a bitch to repair/replace, but its not as hard anymore.

can you seriously imagine trying to pump each strut one by one, in 40 knots of wind, maybe ten years ago but come on, thats like saying smartphones are stupid, lets go back to a brick

Well,my high wind kites doesn't have one pump,same way doesn't have pulleys (that's another history).
KISS principle
Pumping each strut one by one,ten years ago and nowadays,in 40 knots of wind it's as easy as pumping the struts in your van or in a wind protected area at the car park or my favourite lately it's coming to the beach with the struts inflated calmly at home
OHhh !!,and i don't even owned an smartphone, yes i think they're an stupid way of inflating your monthly mobile phone bill.....

Last edited by mikelet on Tue Jan 29, 2013 9:37 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Funny you've mentioned Naish's Octopus - it's the sole reason I still refuse to buy another Naish kite. Everybody else seem to have worked out the one-pump into something stupid-simple-solid and very dependable. Haven't had any issues with different one-pumps since 2007 (except the damn Octopus).

OHhh !!,and i don't even owned an smartphone, yes i think they're an stupid way of inflating your monthly mobile phone bill.....

Each to there own Pal, but my Phone bill don't really matter to me, You can stay in the dark ages all you like but the World wont stop for anyone.

It's unfair to brand all One Pump systems bad if you've only tried one Brand, I can remember those old school winter sessions trying to inflate the Airush Lift Pros, Your fingers feel like they've been stamped on, I'd never go Back, Now pull out the Bag, connect the Pump, ready, set, go

All the one-pumps on my kites are easy. I had to replace a strut bladder recently on my 16 Cab SB, and it was incredibly simple. Saving time rigging means more time on the water.

Inflating a strut to a specific pressure rating is always hit and miss. With such a small volume of air, the amount that you lose while you quickly remove the pump and cap the valve makes a huge difference in the final air pressure in the strut. With the volume of the whole kite on one valve, that little bit of lost air is inconsequential.

The argument that you somehow save time repairing the kite by losing the one-pump system is invalid. The number of times you pump your kite is always going to be larger than the number of times you repair it. If you pump your kite over 300 times, saving about 3 minutes each time you pump it, that's 900 minutes of saved time, which is more than enough to offset the extra 30 minutes you save by being able to replace the leading edge without disconnecting the one-pump tubes. Repairing a strut takes about a minute longer on a one-pump. Offset by three times on one inflate of the kite.

I ride Naish kites. I have never had a problem of the octopus system. I've had I think on all the Naish kites I ever bought had 2 leaks. 2. They were as easy as a non octopus systtem to fix. I have owned a lot of naish kites.

Ok so mine are generally not over 2 years old so not that old, but I do use some of them a lot...and my buddies that are riding naish kites from many years ago have the same..no problem experience.

2 years ago, Naish made it even simpler to get to by changing the orientation of the zipper on the struts. I changed a faulty bladder..and it took about 5 minutes. It really is that easy to fix.

So what is the hangup? Why is it always people who do not use the system that complain? Or people who once saw a kite in 2007 that had a leak?

On top of that the new Ride kite only has two struts. Most people prefer the one pumps systems for one simple reason: CONVENIENCE.

Another factor is that changing a main bladder is actually easier when you have a one pump system, simply because you do not have top worry as much about the bladder turning.

So for me I don't care about the time saving, it is negligible..but it is just that much more convenient. The last non-one pump kite I owned was a EVO, and if I forgot to take those thingy you stick into the bladder out it was impossible to fill the strut with air the next time I used it. So, given a choice between a one pump and multi-pump I would take a one-pump any day.
This is based on actual experience, and not some vague idea.